The Prelude Ideal hydrophilic sheath introducer (Merit Medical) has launched in European, Middle Eastern and African markets.
The Prelude Ideal is designed primarily for use in radial access procedures, and is an option for use with a wide range of anatomy, including in patients with small and thin vessels. The narrowness of the device wall means that the sheath body inner diameter is larger than the Prelude Ideal’s predecessor’s, translating into more working room for catheters and other devices.
It is constructed with proprietary flat wire braiding technology that provides 23% more resistance to kinking and 124% more resistance to sidewall compression compared to the leading competitor’s sheath, a Merit Medical press release states. The Prelude IDeal utilises a hydrophilic coating to the tip of the sheath tubing. Hydrophilic coatings have been proven in clinical studies to reduce the risk of radial artery spasm.
“The Prelude IDeal really exemplifies Merit’s solutions-oriented approach to innovation. We heard from interventional practitioners that there was a need for a sheath introducer that was designed to reduce risk of compression and kinking while still facilitating easy passage of catheters and other devices,” said Fred Lampropoulos, chairman and CEO of Merit Medical.
The Prelude IDeal hydrophilic sheath introducer was launched in the USA earlier in 2018 and is one of the company’s fastest growing products.
